June 20, 2018
(Pending Formalization)

In compliance with UM System, CRR 600.070

• Equality of Access – Missouri University of Science and Technology strives to assure that no qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of the disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of any program or activity operated by the University. Each such qualified person shall receive reasonable accommodations to provide equally effective access to educational opportunities, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate unless provision of such reasonable accommodation would constitute an undue hardship on the University or would substantially alter essential elements of the academic program or course of study or would otherwise compromise academic standards. This policy shall apply to all programs, services, and activities of the University, including but not limited to recruitment, admissions, registration, financial aid, academic programs, advising, counseling, student health, housing and employment.
• Federal and State Laws – This policy is intended to be consistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which states that no recipient of federal financial assistance may discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities solely by reason of disability. This policy is also intended to be consistent with the Americans with Disabilities act of 1990 and the Missouri Human Rights Act.
• Facilities – Each program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, shall be accessible to otherwise qualified and eligible students with disabilities. Facilities, or parts of facilities, constructed or renovated for the University’s use will be designed and built so that they are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities, in accordance with the ADA Accessibility Guidelines or other accessibility standards properly adopted by the campus. Accessible on-campus housing and food service will be provided at the same cost and with the same program options to qualified students with disabilities as are afforded to non-disabled students. When any University classes, programs or activities are held in private facilities, thorough efforts shall be made to obtain facilities which are accessible.

Coordination of Programs and Services for Students with Disabilities

1. The office of Student Accessibility and Testing (SAT) is responsible for coordination of programs, services, and academic accommodations for qualified applicants for admission and qualified enrolled students with disabilities. Such coordination relates solely to disability issues. Determinations as to whether a student is otherwise qualified often will be based on the academic requirements developed by the faculty. Specific services available to qualified students with disabilities will be provided by the University in conformity with the requirements of federal and state law.
2. All applicants and students seeking disability-related services and/or accommodations must disclose the presence of a specific disability to Student Accessibility and Testing. Before receiving requested services and/or accommodations, the student will be required to provide the SAT office with current medical or other diagnostic documentation of a disability from a qualified physician or other qualified diagnostician, as well as current documentation of the need for accommodations. In cases where existing documentation is incomplete or outdated, students may be required to provide additional documentation at the student’s expense. All documentation related to an applicant or student’s disability shall be kept confidential and retained by SAT. The SAT file shall be maintained separately from other student records maintained by the University.
3. It is the applicant/student’s responsibility to self-identify, to provide current and adequate documentation of a disability, and to request accommodations, through the SAT office. The appropriate documentation must be provided in a timely manner to ensure full resolution of accommodations prior to the student’s entrance into the program or course of study. However, a request can be made at any time. Documentation review and accommodations planning by SAT, including consultation with faculty and/or other campus entities that may be affected in providing accommodations, will be done on an individualized case-by-case basis.
4. Reasonable educational accommodations will be provided to otherwise qualified and eligible students with disabilities who have self-identified and who have provided satisfactory documentation in support of their timely request for such accommodations, in compliance with federal and state mandates. These accommodations shall not affect the substance of the educational programs or compromise educational standards.
5. In addition to providing accommodations needed to ensure nondiscrimination in access to educational opportunities by otherwise qualified students with disabilities, the University is responsible for ensuring that no qualified disabled student is denied the benefits of or excluded from participation in a University program because of the absence of auxiliary aids, services, and/or other reasonable accommodations. Auxiliary aids, services, and/or other accommodations include but are not limited to interpreters (sign or oral), readers, scribes, adaptive equipment, and other appropriate services or equipment necessary for course or program accessibility.
6. Determinations as to whether and what reasonable services and accommodations shall be provided to qualified applicants for admission and qualified enrolled students with disabilities will be made initially by the coordinator of SAT (hereafter “the Coordinator”). The Coordinator will communicate with appropriate faculty members regarding the provision of services and/or accommodations and discuss appropriate methods for implementation of the same. If the Coordinator and faculty member(s) are unable to reach agreement regarding the determination of whether and what reasonable services and accommodations shall be provided and/or the implementation of those services and/or accommodations, such disagreement shall be described in writing promptly and submitted to the Chancellor or Designee for resolution in a prompt manner.
7. Initial determinations and any disagreements submitted to the Chancellor or Designee (hereafter “the Chancellor”) will take into consideration all relevant factors including, but not limited to, the following:
1. Current documentation of the specific disability and of the need for the requested services or accommodations;
2. The essential elements of the academic program or course of study being pursued;
3. The fact that the law does not require a University to substantially alter essential elements of its academic program or course of study or to otherwise compromise its academic standards.
8. While funding for accommodations to ensure equally effective access is provided by the University, funding for auxiliary aids, accommodations, and/or services in some instances may be shared with state vocational rehabilitation agencies. The law does not require and the University does not provide prescription devices or other devices/services of a personal nature (e.g. personal attendants) for students with disabilities.

Retaliation – Retaliation is any adverse action taken against a person because of that person’s participation in protected activity. The University strictly prohibits retaliation against any person for: seeking an accommodation pursuant to this policy, filing a Complaint of discrimination based on disability, or participating in an investigation or proceeding concerning allegations of discrimination based on disability. Any person who engages in such retaliation shall be subject to the disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion or termination, in accordance with applicable procedures. Any person who believes they have been subjected to retaliation is encouraged to promptly notify the Equity Officer or Title IX Coordinator. The University will promptly investigate all complaints of retaliation.

Any complaints of disability discrimination or failure to accommodate should be processed through the appropriate Equity Resolution Process (See UM system, Sections 600.010, 600.030, 600.040, 600.050, and 600.060).

 Any person needing to discuss disability discrimination or the Equity Resolution Process, please contact one of the following offices:

       Student Accessibility and Testing – G10 Norwood Hall – 573 341 6655- dss@mst.edu

       Equity and Title IX – 203 Centennial Hall – 573 341 7734 -  equity@mst.edu

       Dean of Students Office – 107 Norwood Hall – 573 341 4209 -  dos@mst.edu

Should you be in disagreement with a decision regarding accommodations, the University appeal process is as follows:

1. Students should present and discuss the complaint with the Director of Student Accessibility and Testing (SAT), located in G-10 Norwood Hall, dss@mst.edu, (573) 341-6655. The SAT office recommends that the student bring their complaint to the manager’s attention as soon as possible. The SAT office may consult with the appropriate University personnel depending on the nature and scope of the complaint. The student and the SAT office will engage in an interactive process in order to attempt to resolve the issue. Resolution of the present issue may be reached at this level. However, if a resolution is not reached the student should proceed to the following step.
2. If a resolution cannot be reached for concerns directed to the Director of Student Accessibility and Testing, students may appeal to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The student shall file a written appeal to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (AVCSA) or their designee within fifteen (15) business days following the undesired outcome of Step One. Students shall submit the written appeal to the AVCSA at stuaff@mst.edu. Students may also request a meeting with the AVCSA in 107 Norwood Hall prior to or following the submission of a written appeal by contacting stuaff@mst.edu or (573) 341-6154. The following information shall be included in the written appeal:

• • A detailed description of the complaint
  • Any supporting documentation for the complaint/appeal
  • Outcome summary from Step One
  • Resolution sought by the student

 

The AVCSA will review the student’s written appeal and may consult with the student before responding within fifteen (15) business days following the receipt of the written appeal. Determinations as to whether and what reasonable services and accommodations shall be provided will be made at this juncture.  Reasonable accommodations will be provided to otherwise qualified and eligible students with disabilities who have self-identified and who have provided satisfactory documentation in support of their timely request for such accommodations. At this level of appeal, the student has exhausted the internal University appeal procedures.

At any time in the process, should a student believe the reasonable accommodation to be discriminatory or to have the effect of discriminating against a qualified student on the basis of disability or other protected status, they may file a written complaint with the Office of Equity and Title IX. Staff from the Office of Equity and Title IX are available to consult with the student to determine whether the matter should be addressed through appropriate procedures as outlined in the University of Missouri Collected Rules and Regulations Chapter 600 Equity Employment/Educational Opportunity policies.  The student may also choose to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Communicating with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

From the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes

Deaf and hard of hearing students use a variety of techniques when communicating with others. Some students may use a combination of methods to receive information. For example, they may use an assistive listening device and CART, speech-to-text transcription.

Hearing Aids

Some students use hearing aids in combination with speechreading skills. It is important to note that even the most highly skilled speechreaders usually comprehend only about 30% of what is said. They use contextual cues to fill in the rest. Students who rely on speechreading frequently miss comments from other class members and have difficulty understanding instructors who cover their lips, face the board, or move around the classroom.

People who use hearing aids usually do not hear sounds as others do. Hearing aids amplify all sounds including background noises. This can be overwhelming to hearing aid users.

Cochlear Implants

A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic device that is surgically implanted to provide a sense of sounds to a person with hearing loss. Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Signals generated by the implant are sent by the way of the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognizes the signals as sound. The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. Hearing through a cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and takes time to learn or relearn. However, it allows many people to recognize warning signals or understand other sounds in the environment and can sometimes assist in understanding conversations with others.

Sign Language

For students who utilize sign language as a means to communicate, an interpreter may be necessary to convey spoken speech to the deaf student. An interpreter’s role is to provide communication access between a deaf student and hearing person who does not use sign language. The interpreter signs what is being spoken, and voices what is being signed.

Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART)

Some students, primarily those who do not use sign language, will use speech-to-text services to display spoken words in text format. A remote CART service provider is used to provide this accommodation for eligible S&T students. A microphone and internet are used to send the instructor’s speech to the transcriber. The transcriber’s transcript is sent back to the student who reads the transcript in real-time on a tablet or laptop.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALD)

Some deaf students may need to have instructor’s speech amplified by an assistive listening device. A microphone that is compatible with the student’s hearing aids is used to provide access to the lecture. Students will either have their own ALD or use one provided by Student Accessibility and Testing.

Creating an Accessible Learning Environment

Most students who are deaf or hard of hearing depend on their vision to speechread, watch an interpreter, or read a live transcript. Although there are some unique strategies based on the method of communication used, the guidelines below can promote effective communication, no matter what method is used.

• Remember to communicate directly with the deaf or hard of hearing student.
• Avoid standing in front of a light source. This puts a shadow on your face, making it difficult to speechread what you’re saying.
• Try to avoid speaking when the student can’t see your face, such as when you write on the board or walk around the room.
• In using demonstration and visual aids, deaf and hard of hearing students are not able to listen to the instructor and, at the same time, watch what is being explained. Brief but frequent pauses while using visual aids and demonstration are appreciated by the service provider and student. This allows the student time to see what is being said and then watch the demonstration.
• It is helpful to write general class announcements on the board or include them in a PowerPoint slide.
• Question and answer periods may create challenges for effective communication. Allowing one person to talk at a time enables the service provider to identify who is talking.
• When questions are asked from the class, it is helpful to repeat the question before answering.
• Do not talk to the class while simultaneously having students read something.
• Remember, service providers are ethically bound to convey everything the instructor and other students say. The deaf or hard of hearing student has the right to hear everything, just as hearing students do.
• All videos must be captioned.

Please contact Student Accessibility and Testing, (573) 341-6655 or dss@mst.edu with any questions.